Clifford Smyth
Encyclopedia
For the rapper, see Method Man
.
Clifford Smyth is a historian
and former politician
in Northern Ireland
.
Smyth stood for the Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP) in North Antrim
in the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973
, narrowly missing out on a seat. Following the death of David McCarthy
, an Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP) MPA, he easily won a by-election for a seat on the Assembly. He also became the secretary of the United Ulster Unionist Council
.
Smyth was elected to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
, again in North Antrim, in 1975. He was expelled from the DUP, however, in 1976, after he was accused of passing information to the then Secretary of State Merlyn Rees' office. He joined the Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP) and stood unsuccessfully as its candidate for the Westminster seat of North Down
at the 1979 general election.
From the 1980s onwards, Smyth turned increasingly to history and the Orange Order. He wrote a critical biography
of Ian Paisley
, Ian Paisley: Voice of Protestant Ulster. He was also a leading member of the Campaign for Equal Citizenship
, which was founded in 1986, and campaigned for the three main British political parties to fully organise in Northern Ireland.
Smyth was also a history teacher at Knockbreda High School in Belfast for many years, and is also regarded as an expert on the Orange Order and its lodges.During the 1990s, Smyth resigned from the Orange Order. In 2005, he revealed that he had transvestite compulsions.
He criticised Ian Paisley and the DUP's decision to share power with Sinn Fein
and claimed the DUP would lose a lot of voters because of this.
In 2011 it was revealed the BBC decided to drop him its yearly live coverage of the twelfth of July parades in Belfast.Smyth who commentated on the programme for over 10 years was quoted as being 'sad' after being informed.
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
.
Clifford Smyth is a historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and former politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Smyth stood for the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(DUP) in North Antrim
North Antrim (Assembly constituency)
North Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
in the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973
-Seats summary:-Source:* http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fa73.htm...
, narrowly missing out on a seat. Following the death of David McCarthy
David McCarthy (politician)
David McCarthy was a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Belfast, McCarthy studied at the Belfast Municipal College of Technology before working as a quantity surveyor. He was elected to Ballymena Borough Council for the Ulster Unionist Party in 1965, serving until 1973...
, an Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP) MPA, he easily won a by-election for a seat on the Assembly. He also became the secretary of the United Ulster Unionist Council
United Ulster Unionist Council
The United Ulster Unionist Council was a body that sought to bring together the Unionists opposed to the Sunningdale Agreement in Northern Ireland.-Formation:The UUUC was established in January 1974...
.
Smyth was elected to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention was an elected body set up in 1975 by the UK Labour government of Harold Wilson as an attempt to deal with constitutional issues surrounding the status of Northern Ireland....
, again in North Antrim, in 1975. He was expelled from the DUP, however, in 1976, after he was accused of passing information to the then Secretary of State Merlyn Rees' office. He joined the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP) and stood unsuccessfully as its candidate for the Westminster seat of North Down
North Down (UK Parliament constituency)
North Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sylvia Hermon, elected as an Independent in the 2010 General Election. -Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the northern part of Down...
at the 1979 general election.
From the 1980s onwards, Smyth turned increasingly to history and the Orange Order. He wrote a critical biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
, Ian Paisley: Voice of Protestant Ulster. He was also a leading member of the Campaign for Equal Citizenship
Campaign for Equal Citizenship
The Campaign for Equal Citizenship was a political advocacy group that supported the integration of Northern Ireland into the United Kingdom and called for the full participation of mainland political parties in Northern Irish politics....
, which was founded in 1986, and campaigned for the three main British political parties to fully organise in Northern Ireland.
Smyth was also a history teacher at Knockbreda High School in Belfast for many years, and is also regarded as an expert on the Orange Order and its lodges.During the 1990s, Smyth resigned from the Orange Order. In 2005, he revealed that he had transvestite compulsions.
He criticised Ian Paisley and the DUP's decision to share power with Sinn Fein
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
and claimed the DUP would lose a lot of voters because of this.
In 2011 it was revealed the BBC decided to drop him its yearly live coverage of the twelfth of July parades in Belfast.Smyth who commentated on the programme for over 10 years was quoted as being 'sad' after being informed.